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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Low Fat Eggplant Parmesan

02/28/13 - Dear Readers: I have made a correction to this recipe. I accidentally used some of the instructions from another recipe that I sometimes make. In this low fat version there is no frying involved, only baking. Sorry!

I love, love, love eggplant parmesan (my BIL's is the best), but usually the recipes I find use a huge amount of oil. When you fry eggplant it will soak up oil like a sponge. So I decided to create a lower fat version with some big flavor pay off.

Slice two small eggplants and two zucchini into slices 1/4 inch thick. I like to peel the eggplant first, but you don't have to. Layer in a colander, liberally salting (kosher salt) each layer. Let sit in sink for an hour. This removes the moisture that would cause the casserole to get soggy and removes some of the bitterness from the eggplant.

Rinse the eggplant and zucchini thoroughly with water. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bread eggplant and zucchini by dredging in flour, then egg wash, then in bread crumbs. Place on parchment lined baking pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Don't cook it completely as it will continue to cook in the casserole.

Sorry for the awful picture.

Grease a 13" x 9" casserole with oil. Coat bottom with small amount of your favorite marinara sauce, then start layering. Layer eggplant or zucchini, then sauce, parmesan and mozzarella. Continue until the casserole is full, ending with a layer of sauce, parmesan and mozzarella.

1 comment:

Peeling the eggplant helps take out some of the bitter flavor imo. Also I like to cut it in rounds rather than strips but that is no big deal. I've used low fat cheeses which help and the marinara and eggplant account for most of the flavor anyway.

About Me

For most of my adult life (60 years) I have consciously lived a simple, frugal life. This was a lifestyle choice for me, but with today's poor economy, it has become a life necessity. I hope to share my frugal philosophy with others, hopefully helping them and learning a few tips for my own use.
Now for a bit of personal information. I am a Mennonite, mother of an seventeen year old girl and wife of 37 years. I spend my time running my household the old fashioned way, cooking from scratch, canning our food, gardening, sewing, knitting, spinning (not on a bike), cleaning, writing book reviews and worshipping.